Clothing Size, Shape, Weight and what is the norm for today's woman

It’s no wonder that so many of you are scratching your heads and wondering just what are you supposed to be aiming for in this weight and size game. What size is “normal” – what is an average weight anymore? To answer this question, let’s look at some facts. The average starlet is wearing a size 2 or 4 which is the sample size designers are making presently. Today, the average American woman is 5’4″, has a waist size of 34-35 inches and weighs between 140-150 lbs, with a dress size of 12-14. Fifty years ago, the average woman was 5’3-4″ with a waist size of approximately 24-25″, she weighed about 120 lbs and wore a size 8. Curiously, over the past twenty years, fashion model sizes have dropped from a size 8 to 0. Whenever I hear 0 I can’t help but envision an invisible woman. It gets more interesting when you look at changes in women’s bodies and dress sizes dating from the 1950′s. There was actually a uniform sizing system for women’s clothes until the US Department of Commerce dropped it in 1983 noting that the traditional sizes were no longer reflecting the size and shape of the average consumer. Today, in order to cater to women’s vanity, as women have gotten larger, designers have manipulated sizes so that truly larger sizes are marked as smaller. A size 8 in the 1950′s is now a size 4 or less today. Sizing from brand to brand is now so variable that most women fill their closets with at least two or three sizes. I took a piece of this article and I wanted to blog about it b/c my weight is something I've struggled with for a long time. I didn't gain much weight when I was pregnant maybe 6-10 extra pounds and I had terrible morning sickness which did nothing for my appetite when most women gain an extra 25 or more. I have to wonder what's normal I look in stores and on the runway and all of these models are rail thin to the point that some of them look unhealthy being fine boned and petite is one thing looking like a walking skeleton is another. Why do we have such a controversy about weight size etc.? Blame it on society the modeling industry who tells a woman who was a size 6 that she is too fat and sizes like 10 12 are considered plus sizes. Last time I checked Plus sizes were 18-32W. I say we need to focus on health first and remember that everyone's body make up is different some women are curvier than others and this also has a lot to do with diet and culture as well. I admit I like to eat and I need to start cutting back and exercising more but with a demanding schedule of a full time job raising a 4 yr old as a single mom I don't always have the luxury of spending 3 hours at the gym. An ob-gyn told me once I had to drop 50 lbs and go to the gym which I thought was very crass and rude that was back in 09 and yes I had gained a lot of weight jr had just turned one and same hectic schedule but I figured if you can sign me up and pay for my childcare I'd be happy to go and get fit as a fiddle if you say that to someone it would shut them up instantly. I admit sometimes I'm self conscious about my body and yes I could lose some weight and I wish I had flatter abs but I also like my curves and don't want to look like a skeleton even if I lost the weight I needed to. Eating like a bird just to be on the cover of a magazine isn't what should be encouraged these days a healthy diet eating everything in moderation, cardio like zumba, boot camp, etc. some strength training if you are up to it. yes but depriving yourself NOPE. I look in the mirror and yes I'm not even close to model standard size lol I know I'd be considered plus size and on that stupid scale of BMI I'd be considered obese which is a freaking joke but I have to be proud of my body and realize it's not all about body image it's about who we are as people and what are the positives and how we can contribute to society because just because someone is pretty on the outside doesn't make them a good person on the inside. I'd rather carry around a few extra pounds and be intelligent and have something to bring to the table and then be a size 0-4 and the only thing I have going for me is my looks. Self-respect and intelligence are beautiful things. Clothing companies need to get real and start making clothes to flatter everybody and true to size. One thing I can say fifty years ago up to about 20 yrs ago you bought a size 8 and it fit . No guessing game no buying two or three different brands. Jeans had enough stretch in them to be comfortable yet flattering. Now it's what size am I in this brand? I've went to old navy and got a size 12 jeans they're tight got a 14 too baggy it's ridiculous frustrated returned them. Got target jeans fit 1 size 10 perfect fit and $10 cheaper and 3% stretch stretch makes all the difference. So I've given up on old navy jeans for now until they change the material percentages. Companies need to make clothing for real women with real bodies not a bunch of thin bobble headed models with rail thin bodies and fake tits to match with a celery stick and carrot appetite yes Victoria Secret I'm referring to you. Curvy women are entitled to be sexy and desirable for ourselves and our men so get with the program and start designing a plus size line or make your large fit like large instead of medium they don't realize that they could make millions attracting this new market of clothing and add tons of people to their customer base by doing so I plan to write to them to pitch the idea. Some have physical beauty or others have inner beauty some a combination of both. I think we can tackle the obesity problem in this country by reinstating physical education in our schools, changing the menu at public schools if you saw some of the slop they service NYC school children you'd be infuriated that they can't do better and get your kids off the couch, off the tablet, laptop and TV and get them to MOVE and restrict the munchies and COOK actual food I know it's a far fetched idea with the hectic schedules of today driving though a drive thru is tempting almost everyday but think about the long term effects and get them bikes and take them to the park. The more they move expend energy and eat right the healthier they will be and making it a FAMILY effort helps too.